Forest ecosystemsexhibit many beneficial properties we humans would be wise to emulate in ourculture, agriculture and horticulture: they maintain, renew, fertilize andpropagate themselves without human inputs; they build, store, and conserveclean air, clean water, nutrients, soil quality, and biodiversity; and theyexhibit stability, resilience, and adaptability. These qualities emergefrom the dynamics of the forest as a whole system, not from any one or more ofthe elements that comprise the forest alone. To design productive edibleecosystems that express these same qualities, we must understand foreststructures, functions, patterns, and processes and use this knowledge wisely.

In this nine-dayintensive course, you will dive deeply into the vision, theory, and practice ofdesigning wholesome, dynamic, and resilient edible ecosystems using temperatedeciduous forests as models. Dave Jacke and his teaching team will offerlectures, site walks, and experiential exercises to help you understand how thearchitecture, social structure, underground economics, and successionalprocesses of natural forests apply in the design of edible ecosystems of allkinds. You’ll learn a variety of ecological design processes whiledesigning a range of food-producing ecologies at our host farm. We’llalso engage with issues of garden management, economics, and the deepparadigmatic shifts required to succeed at cocreating “humanatural” landscapesand cultures. You will leave inspired and empowered to design food forestsat home for yourself, and your friends, neighbors, and clients.

“This course hasoutdone any experience I have ever had . . . Thank you for catapulting me intoa new realm of knowledge and inspiration. Thank you for the best timeever.” M.T., New Jersey

“The ForestGardens course was awesome, and I expect I’ll be discovering thetransformative affects of it on my consciousness again and again. Thank you forthat gift.” A.G., Pennsylvania

“I’m stoked comingoff of the course . . . You can imagine how great it is to be familiar withpermaculture design principles – I feel like I am going to be far, far outahead of monoculture farmers . . .” M.L., Hawaii

“You and the crew went beyond the call of duty to make it an incredibleexperience for us all.” N.P.,Pennsylvania